(July 24, 2015) People
diagnosed with a personality disorder may find it difficult to function in
society due to difficulties in regulating emotions – but also healthy
individuals differ in how often they become irritated, angry or sad. Scientists
from Karolinska Institutet have published a study in the medical journal Social
Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, where they show that the affected brain
areas in people with a clinical diagnosis are also affected in healthy
individuals.
We all vary in how often we become happy, sad or angry, and
also in how strongly these emotions are expressed. This variability is a part
of our personality and can be seen as a positive aspect that increases diversity
in society. However, there are people that find it so difficult to regulate
their emotions that it has a serious impact on their work, family and social
life. These individuals may be given an emotional instability diagnosis such as
borderline personality disorder or antisocial personality disorder.
Previous studies have shown that people diagnosed with
emotional instability disorders exhibit a decrease in the volume of certain
brain areas. The scientists wanted to know if these areas are also associated
with the variability in the ability to regulate emotions that can be seen in
healthy individuals. In the current study, 87 healthy subjects were given a
clinical questionnaire and asked to rate to what degree they have problems with
regulating emotions in their everyday lives. The brains of the subjects were
then scanned with MRI. The scientists found that an area in the lower frontal
lobe, the so-called orbitofrontal cortex, exhibited smaller volumes in the
healthy individuals that reported that they have problems with regulating
emotions. The greater the problems, the smaller the volume detected. The same
area is known to have a smaller volume in patients with borderline personality
disorder and antisocial personality disorder. Similar findings were also seen
in other areas of the brain that are known for being important in emotional
regulation.